Jonathan Condemns Children’s Kidnap, Orders Rescue

ABUJA, Sept 28, (THEWILL) - President Goodluck Jonathan today condemned the callous and cruel kidnapping of 15 nursery and primary pupils near Aba, on Monday. He has subsequently ordered the Inspector-General of Police and heads of other security agencies to take all necessary steps to rescue the abducted children and return them safely to their parents.

President Jonathan who urged the parents and relatives of the children to remain calm also assured them that government would do everything possible to apprehend the kidnappers and bring closure to these ugly incidents as soon as possible.

Meanwhile President Jonathan today strongly rejected claims in certain quarters that the presidency was behind the alleged disruption of the Igbo Political Stakeholders Conference in Owerri, Imo State on Monday.

"It is hard to know what purpose could be served by such an action, only hours after the governors of the zone had across party lines, solidly endorsed President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as their candidate in the 2011elections," the president said in statement signed by his spokesman, Ima Niboro.

Jonathan noted that all the Speakers of the zone had similarly endorsed him for president, stressing that it is intriguing that he is being accused of disrupting the event, when in actual fact, key members of the Jonathan/Sambo Presidential Campaign Council were there in high profile attendance.

"I want to place on record that the president frowns at any and every abridgement of the fundamental rights of Nigerians."

He said it is important to urge a measure of caution on all of today's gladiators, as he seeks politics of issues, and of healthy debate; not of name-calling and unfounded allegations.